A/N – Thanks for the comments! Guest – I don't think it's creepy. I had huge crushes on some of my teachers in high school and silly crushes on some movie hunks that were older. Diego and Sage are just flirting there's nothing really behind it. She just thinks he's hot and he is. When you think about it, Jason is 8 yrs older than Liz on the show and when she was around 18 they connected. They all like Liz. Thanks! * doralupin – Luis isn't into her in that way. Thanks! I think you'll like what's coming! * Kikimoo – Jason's lack of interest really has more to do with where he is in his life. It's not that he doesn't think she's a good person. You'll find out more soon! * LiasonLuv – Happens this chapter.

Chapter 8 – Paths Intersect

They all headed back to the compound and got Sage tucked into bed. Liz watched her for a while and then went out to the gardens and sat on a bench and closed her eyes.

Jason turned from his spot and looked over at her. "You alright?"

She jumped and looked up at him. "Jesus, you're like a cat."

Jason smirked. "I was here first."

She made a face and Jason sat down.

"I got a message; one that I think you need to know."

Liz looked up at him. "What?"

"Sonny is coming. He leaves in the morning."

Liz wasn't even sure how she felt about that. "You don't get along with my father do you?"

Jason looked over at her. "It's complicated."

"Because he's bi-polar?"

Jason frowned. "Who told you that?"

"I have my sources." Liz said sighing. "Is he dangerous?"

"I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Do you?"

Jason was silent for a moment. "Your father and I used to be really close. With his illness, things kind of feel apart. He was reckless and that's not a good thing to be in this business. The only reason I'm telling you this is because things are tense between us. I have no idea how he will react to me tomorrow."

"Is that why you keep your guard up?"

"It's easier that way—to keep people at arm's-length."

"But that totally isolates you."

"It's what I'm used to; the way it has to be."

Elizabeth thought that was a very sad way to lead your life and she didn't understand why Jason would choose that; why he thought he deserved it. There was such a sadness that surrounded him.

"Elizabeth, it's best if you stay away from me when we get back. Sonny is paranoid and I'm no good. I'm dangerous; people get hurt. It's just better that way—for everyone."

She stood up and stared at him. "Jason look at me."

Their eyes met and Liz took a deep breath. "Whatever this is…." she said moving her hand in front her, "whatever the reason is that you're punishing and condemning yourself, it needs to stop. It's not healthy."

"You don't know what you're asking."

"I don't pretend to know you but from what I can see you are miserable. Why?"

For one second she saw so much devastation in Jason's eyes that it took her breath away. He stood up and walked away from her as she stood there stunned. But for some reason, she couldn't let it go. No one should live with that kind of pain. She just had no idea how to reach him.

Jason, on the other hand, wanted to get as far away from Liz as he possibly could. She represented everything that he thought he could never have. They were the antithesis of each other in his mind but at the same time, she made him feel and he didn't want to feel right now. He felt he deserved the purgatory he had placed himself into. He couldn't let her pull him out.

Diego watched Jason pace back and forth for a while. He knew why Jason was a mess, hell everyone did. It wasn't like it was a secret. He felt sorry for the man and he wondered if Elizabeth was the one who could save him. A chuckled escaped his lips. The most feared person on the East Coast and beyond needed saving and a 5'2 woman seemed to have the cojones to do it. She seemed to have no fear where Jason was concerned which meant she was either crazy or saw through his bullshit. Either way, they were going to be explosive, and Diego almost wished he could be around to see it all.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

The next day, a doctor came by to check on Sage and while she still needed to rest, she was doing just fine. Liz was glad because she was tired from having to wake the young woman up so often. She walked over to Diego, "I need to make a call."

He nodded and had her follow him to his father's office.

"You'll have some privacy in here."

"Thank you Diego."

She dialed her father's cell phone.

"Hello."

"Hi dad."

Jeff almost spilled his coffee. "Elizabeth?"

Dylan watched him curiously.

"Yes, I'm sorry I had to leave the way I did."

"Where are you?"

"Some place safe."

"Are you sure? Does this have to do with your bio dad?"

"Yes. His enemies were after me and someone came to protect me."

Jeff sat down at a table. "Who is your father Elizabeth?"

"Sonny Corinthos."

He made a motion to Dylan for a pen and paper and he rushed it over to him. He wrote down the name and then asked, "Is he dangerous?"

"Yes, he's in the mob. I'm meeting with him tomorrow."

"Where are you coming home?"

"I don't know. Some of his enemies want to use me to get to him. So, for now, just know that I'm safe and protected."

Jeff was trying to process everything. He was scared. "I love you Elizabeth. I'm so scared for you right now, I can hardly breathe."

"I love you too daddy." She said tearfully. "I'll call you soon okay?"

"Okay."

Jeff put down the phone and called over to Kevin, who used to own the coffee shop. He was sitting at a table nearby with his computer. "Can you look up this name on your laptop for me?"

"Sure." Kevin said taking the paper from him. They sat down and were alarmed when Kevin cursed under his breath. "This is one dangerous dude. Why do you need to know about him?"

"Um, I found out someone I love is related to him."

Dylan and Jeff looked at each other. This wasn't good.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Elizabeth looked for Jason but it was like he had disappeared. There was a knock on the door and she looked up as Lorenzo's maid answered it.

"Hi, can I see Sage please?"

"Your name?"

"Eddie."

Liz looked at the handsome young man curiously. The maid had disappeared and then came back. "She'll be right out."

Sage was shocked when the maid had told her Eddie was here. He had been one of the popular guys in high school that she had a crush on and he had happened to be at the party the other night. She nervously smoothed her hands over her clothes and then hurried to the front door. "Eddie?"

"Hi, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"I'm fine. Diego is threatening to bubble wrap me because I'm a klutz, but the doctor says I'm good."

He smiled shyly which made Elizabeth grin.

"Those guys were stupid. They could have hurt you."

"I know they didn't mean it."

"That's beside the point. Um, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out on a date with me tonight."

Sage's mouth dropped open but she quickly recovered. "I would love that."

"I'll pick you up at 6:00."

"I'll be ready."

He smiled at her and then left. Sage squealed and Elizabeth chuckled.

"Congrats. He's a cutie."

She ran over and plopped down next to Liz. "I've had a crush on him for three long, agonizing years."

Diego rolled his eyes. "You're taking two guards and if your head starts hurting, you have to come home right away."

It wasn't that he didn't like Eddie, because from what he knew, he was a standup guy. But, Sage was like a sister to him and he wanted her protected.

Sage rolled her eyes and rattled something off in Spanish which made Diego growl. Liz jumped as Diego suddenly ran towards his cousin and she tried unsuccessfully to get away. He relentlessly tickled her as she gasped for air and then finally let her go.

"Please, I can't let anything happen to you."

Liz couldn't help but smile.

"Fine." She said standing up and walking to her room; complaining in Spanish the whole way.

"That was very sweet." Liz said.

Diego shrugged. "She deserves to be respected. Listen, I want to talk to you about something."

"What's up?"

"I saw you talking to Jason last night. Just give him some time okay? I have a feeling in the end he might come to you but it won't be right away."

"You know don't you?"

"I do but it's not my story to tell."

"Is it really that bad?"

Diego looked down at his hands. "Yes, it's pretty bad."

Liz sighed. "Okay, I'll try to wait him out."

"Just tread lightly. Don't push him too much."

Liz nodded.

There was another knock on the door and he got up and answered it. "Sonny? You're early."

"Hello Diego. I was anxious."

He stepped back. "Come in."

Elizabeth held her breath and stood up to face him as her eyes took him all in.

"Elizabeth?" Sonny said coming to a stop.

"Hello Mr. Corinthos."

Her formality snapped him out of his haze. "Please call me Sonny."

He walked towards her until he was standing in front of her. "You look so much like your mother's family." He said studying her.

"Can you tell me about her?"

Sonny nodded and sat down and she did the same.

"She was a beautiful soul; caring, loyal to a fault. Her compassion towards others was almost legendary. I was very much in love with her."

"Go on."

"Her father hated me. Hernando wanted me away from her. We had broken up for a while and then got back together. There had been another woman in my life before her and she came back to town. Lily couldn't handle our closeness and she broke it off again and then she found out she was pregnant. I broke it off with Brenda but Hernando was livid. He had a bomb put in my limo thinking that I would be blown to bits. He didn't know we were back together. Lily went to get inside and I watched it blow up."

Liz gasped and put her hand over her mouth.

"It was horrible. I thought she died. We had a funeral and everything. When I got Miguel's letter, he was her first love, I was shocked to find out that Hernando had kept her alive so she could conceive and then had given you away so that I wouldn't know you."

"Unbelievable." Elizabeth muttered.

"I know. It was a crazy time. I would have never let you go if I had known Elizabeth. But we can't go back. I'm just hoping you're willing to give me a chance to get to know you."

Liz stood up and paced back and forth. "I just need some time to process all of this. I have parents. I've had a good life and then suddenly I'm kidnapped and need guards and people are shooting at me. I just don't know what to do with all of that." She said rushing past him.

"Elizabeth." Sonny yelled as the door slammed shut. He sat down and rubbed his hand over his face.

Lorenzo walked towards him and sat down. "Just give her some time and space."

"I know that is what she needs but I'm going crazy here. She's a part of Lily who will always have a big piece of my heart."

Lorenzo sighed. There was nothing simple or easy about this situation. He was worried about Elizabeth and all the pressure that she was under.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIi

Elizabeth ran until she reached a pond. Out of breath, she plopped down on the ground and put her head in her hands.

"That good huh?" Jason said from his seat under the tree next to her.

Elizabeth jumped and looked over at him. "You really need to stop doing that before I have a heart attack."

"Again, I was here first." He said smirking.

Liz rolled her eyes and got up and sat down next to him. "Are you getting away from my father too?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah."

"I don't know what to do about all of this. I already have a dad; one who has been loving and dotes on me. Sonny's choices got my mother killed. I know it was an accident, but still. I'm lucky I'm even alive. I'm not sure what he expects from me; did he think he could just roll into town and I'd hug him and we'd be one big happy family?"

Jason listened but didn't interrupt. He could tell that she was on a roll.

"And now I feel like I'm trapped in an episode of the Soprano's. Please tell me that he doesn't own a strip club."

Jason chuckled. "No, he doesn't."

"Thank God." Liz said leaning her back onto the tree. "I feel like I have no choices right now."

"You always have choices Elizabeth. You don't have to be a part of his life."

"But what about his enemies?"

"You'd probably always have to have a guard with you, but once all of this settles down, you could go back home."

Jason wondered why that statement made his heart clench a little.

Liz thought about that. Home sounded so good right now in some ways. But she still kind of felt conflicted. Home consisted of her mooning over a man she couldn't have and working herself into an early grave. She really didn't have a life; at least not the one she had always envisioned for herself. Maybe it was time she got out from under her parent's shadow and saw the world. She had to admit, going on this little adventure did feed a side to her that she had long buried. It was exciting and dangerous and anything but predictable. Predictable, that is what her life had become. She, Elizabeth Webber, had become a total bore.